Automobile spring wheel



Nov. 8, 1938. o. B. OLSON AUTOMOBILE SPRING WHEEL Filed July 22, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 1 0 B.0l50n INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1938.

0. B. OLSON AUTOMOBILE SPRING WHEEL File d July 22, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet2 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES AUTOMOBILE SPRING WHEELOscar B. Olson, St. James, Minn.

Application July 22,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to spring wheels for motor vehicles and has forthe primary object the provision of a device of this character whichwill be efiicient in the absorbing of road shocks and preventing saidshocks from being transmitted to the vehicle, consequently materiallyincreasing the riding comforts of the vehicle and the life of saidvehicle.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a spring wheelconstructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating a meansfor limiting the movement of the felly of the wheel relative to the hub.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral I indicates an axlehousing of a motor vehicle and 2 the power axle to which is secured thehub 3. Formed intermediate the ends of the hub 3 is a circular disc 4'having provided therein an opening acting as a seat for a ball 5.- Thecharacter 6 and is composed of companion annular sections 1 and 8detachably connected by stud bolts 9. .A sectional rim I0 is mounted onthe felly 6 and one section thereof forms an integral part of thesection 1 of the felly. The infelly of the wheel is indicated inentirety by the 1936, Serial No. 91,997

faces of the plates l3 have grooves l4 to loosely receive the ball 5which will permit the hub to have a limited rotation relative to thefelly. Coil springs [5 are secured to the sections 1 and 8 of the fellyand to the hub 3. The number and size of springs may vary in accordancewith the loads the wheel is required to carry.

Formed integrally with the felly is a brake drum l6 having a groove toreceive a gasket l'l fitting in a like groove formed in a flange l8 ofthe axle housing I. The gasket is to exclude dirt from the interior ofthe wheel. A removable cap 20 closes the front of the wheel.

In use, the hub is suspended in the felly by the springs and when poweris delivered to the hub by the axle 2 certain of the springs will expandand others contract, allowing the hub to move ofi center having atendency in aiding in rotating the wheel. The springs also will deliverthe driving force from the hub to the felly and to prevent said springsfrom being severely twisted or broken the ball 5 is provided between thedisc 4 and the plates I3.

The plates I3 carry ball bearings 2| which ride against the oppositefaces of the disc 4 for the, purpose of keeping the felly in alignmentwith the hub still permitting the hub and felly to move relative to eachother so that the springscmay absorb shocks and jars when the wheelcontacts an obstacle or passes from a high place to a low place. 7

Having described the invention, I claim:

A spring wheel comprising a hub, a disc fixed to said hub, a fellyloosely disposed about said disc, a pair of spaced apart annular platesfixed to said felly and disposed on opposite sides of said disc,contractile springs secured to said felly and said hub on opposite sidesof said plates, said springs resiliently supporting said felly aboutsaid hub, bearing elements carried by said plates engaging oppositesides of said disc to movably hold said disc'between said plates, eachof said plates having a guide groove on the side thereof confrontingsaid disc, and a ball carried by said disc engaging in said guidegrooves to hold said plates against rotary movement relative to saiddisc while permitting movement of said plates in a direction at rightangles to the axis of said hub.

OSCAR B. OLSON.

